Coping Skills 101

I have decided that there are some classes that should be added to every school's curriculum from the get go and should be mandatory, sort of like art and gym. Life Skills classes that should be taught from day one to each and every student, every year that they remain in school. They are as follows:

• Understanding Your Emotions
• Healthy Coping Skills
  
• Healthy Communication
• Healthy Expression

I believe that understanding ones feelings and learning how to express anger, disappointment, embarrassment, fear, etc. in a healthy, non hurtful way would benefit each and every one of us. I believe it would reduce hate and violence, addictions of all kinds and would allow people to experience much more happiness and more fulfilling relationships.
Perhaps that is a lot of responsibility to pin on a few understandings, but I feel that they are that important. Just think about the hurtful, harmful words and actions of your own past. How much of that could have been avoided if you'd been taught that it was okay to be angry or upset? If you'd been taught how to handle that anger or disillusionment? If you'd been taught how to understand and properly express those emotions? And then let those emotions go. Millions of people pay millions of dollars every year to try to understand and learn these very things. To be told that their feelings are valid and their pain is okay. And then to learn how to express those feelings and then let them go, without hurting themselves any more than they already have in the process.
I am certain that if I'd had these lessons I would not have traveled the painful self destructive path that was my early twenties. Perhaps some form of these classes could be incorporated into our children's curriculum so that they may learn some of the lessons without all of the pain.